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URINARYSTONES,SLUDGEANDGRITBladderproblemsinvolvingstones,sludgeandgritdevelopwhenthereisacollectionofexcesscalciumwhichbuildsupintheurinarytract.Sludge(densecalciumcrystals)hasatoothpastelikeconsistencyandisoftendifficulttoremovecompletelywithnormalurination.Oftenweseethesludgesettlingatthebottomofthebladderwithnormalurineontopanditisoftenonlyinthelastpartofurinationthatweseethisgrittygreypastebeingpassed.Urinarystonesandsludgecanbeverypainfulforyourrabbitorguineapighoweverthereareanumberoftreatmentoptions.

Signsthatyourrabbitorguineapigmayhaveabladderorurinaryproblem:

- Lossoflittertrayhabits- Strainingtourinate- Hoppinginandoutofthelittertray

excessively- Drippingurine- Producinglotsofsmallamountsof

urine- Wetnessaroundthegenitalarea- Urinescoldingontheskin- Sludgyurineorwhiteurine- Urinecolourchange

Causesofbladderstones,sludgeorgrit:

- Insufficientwaterintake–iftheanimalisn’ttakinginenoughwaterthentheurinebecomesmoreconcentratedwhichcanleadtoanincreasedriskofproblemsovertime

- Inactivity–ananimalthatsitsalldaymaynotdrinkasoftenorurinateasfrequently.Anactiverabbitwillconsumemorewaterandurinatemoreoftenwhichhelpstoflushthebladder.Inthewild,bothguineapigsandrabbitsare‘housed’inlargeareasandareconstantlyurinatingtomarktheirterritory.Thishelpstoremoveurineoftenfromthebladderandprevent‘settling’ofcalciumandthussludgeandstoneformation.Largeamountsofactivity(egfreerangeinasafebackyardare)willhelpyourpettoeliminatealltheextracalciumitdoesn’tneedviatheurine.

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- Lackofappropriatetoiletareas-ifrabbitsandguineapigsareconfinedinsmallspacesandthetoiletingareaorcageisnotkeptclean,theymaytendto

holdurineinlongerandthusurinatelessfrequently.- Kidneydisease–cancauseachangeintheway

calciumisexcreted- Bladderdisease–cancauseachangeintheliningof

thebladder.Infections,tumoursandgritcancauseinflammationofthebladderwall.

- Dietsexcessivelyhighincalcium-iffeedingadiethighincalciumthebodyisunabletousealltheexcessthatisleftbehindafterallthecalciumthatisneededbythebodyisabsorbed.Itthencanaccumulateinthebladder.

- Inadequateaccesstosunshine-theVitaminDabsorbedfromnaturalsunlighthelpstoregulatethecalciummetabolisminyourrabbitorguineapig.

- Pain–Painfromothermedicalconditionscanleadtoimproperposturewhenurinatingwhichcanpreventurinefrombeingvoidedproperlyorfully.

Treatment/Preventionofbladderstones,sludgeandgrit:

Bladdersludgeandstonescanirritatethebladderandcausecystitisorbladderinfections.Theyalsocancauseanincreasetheneedtourinate,resultinginurine-soakedfurandscaldedskin.Bladdersludgewhenitisnotexpressedcanaccumulateinthebladderdistendingthebladderandcausingthebladderwalltoloseitselasticity.Thislargedilatedbladdercanseverelyaffecttherabbit’sabilitytocontrolurinationandmayresultinincontinence.Ifbladderstonesformtheycanpotentiallyblocktheoutflowfromthebladderandpreventurination,thisisanemergencysituation.Afewtipstopreventand/ortreatbladderstonesorsludgeareprovidedbelow:

- Ifabladderstonehasbeendetectedthensurgeryisgenerallythebestoption.Onceformed,bladderstonesarepainfulandhardtopasssosurgicalremovalofthestonewillgenerallygivethebestoutcome.

- Increasingfluidintake–Thishelpstoflushthebladderasyourpetwillurinatemore.- Sometimesdiureticmedicationssuchashydrochlorothiazidecanbeusedtoencourage

drinking.Treatingyourrabbitwithpotassiumcitratecanalsohelptopromotecalciumexcretion.

- Overweightpetsorpetswithfootproblemsareoftenunabletoassumethecorrectstancetourinateandthereforeretainurinesoitisbesttokeepyourpetinahealthyweightrange.

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- Guineapigownersshouldtrytoavoidfeedingmorethan50mg/kgofVitaminCdailyasthiscanincreasetheriskofbladderstoneformation.

Importantthingsyoucandoathome:

1.Increasetheamountofwateryourrabbitorguineapigconsumes.Normalwaterconsumptionforrabbitsandguineapigsisapproximately100ml/kg/dayhowevereachindividualanimalisdifferent.Tipstoencourageyourpettodrinkmoreinclude

-Wettingdownthevegetablesorgrassoffered

-Frequentlychangingthewatersothatitisfresh

-Presentingwaterinvariousmeans:bowl,dripper,waterfountain

-Providingmultiplewaterbowls

-Changingthetasteofthewaterwithnatural,unsweetenedfruitjuice(apple,pear,banana,pineapple,cranberryjuiceandgivejustenoughfortherabbittotasteit)

-Inearly(andsometimesongoing)treatmentwewillteachyoutogivemaintenancefluidsbyinjectionundertheskin.

2.Increasethenumberoflittertraysintheexercisearea.Themorelittertraysaroundthemorethisencouragesyourrabbit(andtoalessextentyourguineapig)tourinate.Increasedurinationpromotesfrequentemptyingofthebladderandprevents‘settling’oftheurine.

3.Encouragemoreexercise.Increasetheareaandtimeinwhichyourpetcanexercise.Thisgentleexercisewillhelpweightloss,tonemusclesandpreventmobilityissues.Exercisewillalsoencourageyourrabbitorguineapigtourinatemoreoften.4hoursoffreerangingexerciseisrecommendeddaily.

4.Weightmanagementifyourpetisoverweight.Agoodbodyconditionisideal.

5.Dietalterations.

-Decreasetheamountofpellets,muesliandgrainmixesinthediet.Thiswillhelpwithweightloss(essentialinanoverweightpatient)andreduceexcessivecalciumintake.

-Increasetheamountoflowcalciumfreshgreenleafyveggiesfedtoyourpet

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-Limitvegetableshighincalcium

-Feedlowcalciumgrasshay.Avoidfeedinglucernehay(whichishighincalcium)

Ifyoucanatallconcernedaboutyourrabbitorguineapigsbladderhealththenpleasedon’thesitatetocontactus.